A strong need exists for women to have an alternative under garment to traditional underwear and girdles. Traditional underwear creates undesirable panty lines under clothing, especially when worn with slim fitting skirts and slacks. Also, in addition to panty lines, traditional underwear can become easily misplaced, causing discomfort to the wearer. This also creates bulges under clothing. One alternative to traditional underwear is underwear known as a "g-string". This type of underwear is comprised of one piece of fabric that goes up the buttocks of the user so that panty lines do not occur. However, this under garment offers no support and is extremely uncomfortable to some users and may not be an option at all for users with vulvar conditions such as vulvar vestibulitis.
These types of under garments do not provide the user with an improved appearance under clothing and can be uncomfortable. Furthermore, they do not hold in bulges and cellulite on the most troubled areas of some users. These areas, known as "saddlebags", are below the buttocks on the back and sides of the thighs just below the hips. Although girdles cover these areas, they normally are made of relatively thick material and tend to stop above the knee, which creates bulges in clothing about the user's thigh. Also, the thick fabric usually makes the user look heavier rather than thinner in slim fitting clothing.
Although pantyhose can now be manufactured in such a way that panty lines are often prevented, they are not an option in many cases because the leg portions of pantyhose usually cover the feet. Therefore, the pantyhose would be visible when worn under certain types of clothing, which normally is undesirable. For example, pants that stop below the knees, typically referred to as "capri pants", would not be worn with normal pantyhose because the pantyhose would be visible. Also, pantyhose are not desired while wearing most stylish shoes (i.e., open-toed shoes, sandals, etc.).
Although pantyhose designs are known which do not cover the feet, those designs do not solve all of the aforementioned problems. U.S. Pat. No. 4,351,068 discloses a footless pantyhose design. One of the objectives of this design is to provide air ventilation to the foot to prevent "athlete's foot" from occurring. However, the upper reinforced portion of the pantyhose, often referred to as the control top, does not extend down over the region where the need for support is often the greatest, i.e., the "saddlebag" region. Also, the waist and leg portions have elastic bands at their points of termination. Elastic bands are tight on the skin and, in many cases, leave indentations in the skin and may cut off circulation causing extreme discomfort for the user. Furthermore, elastic bands are not produced during the knitting process, i.e.; they are not knitted in during the knitting of the hose. Rather, they are sewn on after the hose have been knitted. In addition, the leg portions of this design extend to the ankle and, therefore, would be visible when worn under capri pants or with open-toed shoes. Also, when women cross their legs, most pants rise up on the leg and, therefore, the pantyhose may be visible even when worn with normal length pants, which is also normally undesirable.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,862,523 discloses a pantyhose garment having leg portions that terminate at the ankle. One of the objectives of this design is to help prevent sagging of soft body tissues. The garment has elastic bands running throughout it. As stated above, elastic bands bulge and create lines that can be seen under clothing and can produce discomfort. U.S. Pat. No. 5,097,537 discloses a multisectional hosiery garment that has detachable feet and leg sections. This design is intended to prevent the entire pantyhose from being ruined if a "run" occurs in a portion of the garment. The design is also intended to accommodate several different fashion purposes. The different sections are attached with elastic bands, which have the aforementioned disadvantages. A garment having this design would not provide the user with a slimmer or smoother appearance.
Accordingly, a need exists for a comfortable pantyhose garment that does not cover the lower legs or feet and that provides support in the thigh, buttocks and waist regions to help minimize or eliminate the appearance of "saddlebags". A need also exists for such a pantyhose garment is manufactured in a continuous knitting process so that the supportive regions blend in with the more sheer regions without creating seams or bands that can easily be seen through clothing.